Turning Point
by Lleimi
Summary: Lloyd/OC One-shot. The start of Lloyd's feelings for Reimi.


A/N: Did this one super quickly, so, I apologise for all the mistakes this piece is probably riddled with. And I know it's not a particularly technically-pleasing one but I hope you manage to enjoy it anyway.

This is just one of the many ways we (Plusle and I) image Lloyd might start to like Reimi. This is set in the game storyline, maybe half-way through, and despite Reimi having an obvious crush on Lloyd, Lloyd has no special feelings for Reimi yet as they've not spent much quality time together. Let's remedy that!

* * *

"Alright, so, we'll see you in a couple of hours," Raine told Lloyd and Reimi as she went off with Genis.

"Byeeeee," Genis called back to them from where they stood outside the Sybak inn.

Lloyd looked to Reimi who seemed to be concentrating on her shoes.

Everyone had gone out on errands or had gone to check out the local stores, which left Lloyd and Reimi alone together. It was a tad awkward and Lloyd strangely, couldn't think of what to say. It wasn't that he didn't like Reimi, on the contrary, he thought she was incredibly sweet-natured and even adorable sometimes, if not a bit melancholy seeming, but, they'd never been alone together before. It was odd, as they'd been friends for a long while now, but, he guessed that what happens when you are with such a big group of people.

"S-so, um, did you want to do something? We could go out if you wanted," Reimi was the one to break the silence, Lloyd too consumed in his musings.

He snapped his head to her which made her jump a little and a strong shade of pink covered the tops of her cheeks. That was another thing; Reimi got strangely 'skittish' around him making him unsure of how she thought of him. Was she scared of him? She was shy to start with when the group met her but she'd gotten over that a while ago, except with him.

"Yeah, that sounds good. Where did you want to go?" Well, he could think about that later. She was trying now, so, he would too.

"Erm, w-well, there's that weird, scrappy shop we could browse, just next to the library," Reimi suggested while she brushed some of her hair behind her ear, out of her face.

"Let's go," Lloyd smiled brightly to reassure her that her idea was a good one. She smiled back and Lloyd noted the pink on her cheeks from before had become darker.

* * *

"What can I do you for?" The merchant said almost instantly as they approached.

"Just browsing," Lloyd responded casually.

"Great," the merchant mumbled under his breath, before wondering over to some other potential customers.

Lloyd looked over some of the strange contraptions and other things for purchase, and was sure some of the items were no better than pieces of junk. His attention was diverted when a strange noise beside him was made.

"Reimi?" He walked towards the noise which happened to be near Reimi, who was giving a strange object a nervous yet curious look, "Did you just make a noise?"

"No, this thing did," She laughed unsurely, as she poked the round object.

_Bzzzrrrppp _

"Woah, what is that?"

"I don't know but every time I touch it, it makes that same sound," Reimi explained and gave an awkward smile, as if she was unsure whether to find it scary or hilarious.

"Really?" He asked as he went to poke it the same way Reimi had done.

_BzzzrrrpppPPP!_

"Woah!" Both he and Reimi took a step away.

"Hey! What are you two doing?" The merchant from before shouted angrily as he made his way over to them, and picked up the thing they'd been 'inspecting', to unravel it and reveal its true form, "What were they doing to you, Maestro?"

"A cat?!" Lloyd stared at the creature in astonishment, "Do cats normally make those kind of sounds?"

"I'm really sorry," Reimi apologised to the merchant while they were shooed out of the 'store'.

When they had backed further enough away from the shop that they were no longer audible to the merchant, they both looked at each other before laughing.

"We're so stupid," Reimi giggled.

"How were we meant to know? Those were not the sounds of a normal cat," Lloyd laughed as he glanced back towards strange shop.

"Want to go to the library next?" He asked as their laughter died down.

"You want to go to the library?" Reimi questioned in confusion.

"Hey, I read!" Lloyd protested at her silent accusations.

"I'm sure you can, I just thought you didn't like to," Reimi countered even though they had just walked through the library's doors already.

"Well...I do...sometimes," He trailed off as they began searching through the bookshelves.

As they did, Lloyd watched Reimi from the corner of his eye. She had grown more comfortable in the short span of time they'd been out and he hoped it would only continue. Reimi was fun, and he'd never known- Not that he thought she wasn't fun, it was just hard to tell when he'd never hung out alone with her before.

She'd still blush occasionally which he assumed was when she was still feeling a bit shy. And, even though he, himself had felt awkward at the start of the day, Reimi was really easy to hang out with when she was less self-conscious of herself and he'd already begun to like her a lot more than he already had.

"Lloyd, look at this," Reimi pulled open the book she was holding and showed him one of the pages that had a picture of a pair of dual swords with dragon heads moulded into the handles.

"They're cool!" Lloyd said excitedly as he came next to Reimi.

"Does Dirk do stuff like this?"

"He could but doesn't. His says it's more about a weapon's durability rather than their appearance." Lloyd responded as he went through the book with Reimi.

They spent over an hour going through different books and Lloyd tried to find someone other than Reimi who might have used an umbrella as a weapon. After they'd worn out all the books they both found interest in that they could look through together, they decided to go to the Sybak's Research Facility.

There wasn't much to do other than wonder the halls and get ushered out of the research rooms for being 'in the way', before they stumbled into the cafeteria.

"Ah, it smells great in here," Reimi sighed as she went to the counter.

"We missed lunch, I'm starving," Lloyd supplied as he joined her.

"What you going to get?"

"Hmmm, probably a sandwich and a soda. You?"

"Strawberry shortcake and some tea." Reimi replied happily as she excitedly looked over the cake behind the glass counter.

Lloyd smiled as he held back a laugh. Reimi looked so cute.

"Can you find us somewhere to sit? I'll get our food."

"You don't have to. I can get my own," Reimi assured but Lloyd just smiled at her and shook his head.

"I want to though," And the blush that had earlier faded came back with full force, making him smile wider. He didn't understand why she was embarrassed but he started to like when she blushed at him now that he knew it wasn't out any sort of dislike or apprehension for him.

"O-okay," She stuttered quietly, then began to find a place to sit before she stopped abruptly and quickly turned back to him, "Thank you!"

Lloyd just laughed.

* * *

Another hour or two went by of eating, talking and laughing, and they found themselves sitting by the edge Sybak's riverbank. The sun was setting and the two watched the sky glow a dark yet luminous orange as dusk set upon them.

"So pretty," Reimi hummed.

"Yeah," Lloyd agreed, "Today was really fun,"

"It was. Thanks, Lloyd," Reimi smiled turning to him.

He laughed lightly, "You too."

"Oh! Hello there," Reimi chuckled as a dog nuzzled her shoulder.

"Where'd you come from?" Lloyd asked as he reached over Reimi to stroke the canine accidentally placing his hand over Reimi's. Reimi's hand quickly shot from under his.

"O-oh, sorry," Lloyd said awkwardly, slowly taking his own hand back.

Maybe he was wrong; maybe she did dislike him after all. It kind of hurt. A lot.

It must of shown too, because when Reimi glanced at him she looked panicked and regretful instantly, "N-no, don't worry. I-It's just because you gave me an electric shock."

"Oh, really?" Lloyd felt relief, oblivious to the obvious lie. His smile returned and so did Reimi's.

"Yeah, must have been from the static from the dog's hair," she laughed.

"Here you guys are!" A loud, familiar voice exclaimed from behind them.

"Oh, hey Sheena," Lloyd greeted casually as he stood up and offered Reimi a hand after.

"We've been looking for you everywhere," Genis chimed in as he appeared from somewhere behind Sheena.

"Sorry," Reimi offered, following them towards the inn.

"What did you two end up doing all day?"

Lloyd turned to Reimi who smiled at the question.

"Just wondered around really," She told them.

"It was great," Lloyd added, and when he got no response, he glanced over at Reimi. She was blushing brightly again and had found her shoes the most interesting things in the world, similar to this morning.

And, Lloyd laughed again.

Sheena and Genis looked to each other before shrugging helplessly.


End file.
